Vicissitudes of Aphasic Identity: Discourse Analysis Under James Paul Gee’s Identity Framework

Abstract

Patients with post-stroke aphasia experience inability to communicate fluently, which is associated with an injury in the language areas of the brain. While much literature is available on the impact of aphasia suffered by the patient on family and important others, there is a dearth of data concerning the aspects of identity construction of the patient after the disastrous consequences of aphasia disorder. A discourse analytical framework was used by employing James Paul Gee’s framework of identity perception with the aim of understanding the vicissitudes of identity in patients with aphasia. Data were obtained from semi-structured interviews of three participants and their partners. The interviews were video-recorded, transcribed and analysed using Paul Gee’s Toolkit of doing discourse analysis; including four perspectives of identity driven by nature, institution, discourse and affinity. All these aspects were recognised as a negative construction of identity after aphasia disorder except some instances of positive construction in Affinity-Identity. The study concluded that post-stroke reconstruction of identity was an important challenge for the patients, family and healthcare services. In most of the cases, this reconstruction was negatively managed by the patients with aphasia and people surrounding them. Therefore, the present study has suggested the need to develop physical and virtual aphasia groups, such as aphasia clubs, aphasia tea houses and Facebook/WhatsApp aphasia groups, so that patients with aphasia can construct a positive Affinity-Identity within their affinity groups and general identity in other aspects of life. Moreover, a sound and effective training is recommended at social level to sensitize people about patients with special needs.